10 MORE Secret WWE Pasts Of AEW Wrestlers
Before shining in North America's second biggest promotion, which stars had to suffer in the first?
When we last checked in with some of hidden WWE gems from the rising stars of All Elite Wrestling, the company hadn't yet debuted on TNT with new weekly show Dynamite, hadn't turned that half-and-half deal into a four-year rights fee agreement, and hadn't resoundingly defeated NXT in a ratings war orchestrated entirely by WWE to marginalise the group's success out of the gate.
It's been an incredible couple of years, not least considering how the bulk of a rancid 2020 was spent. AEW did what all great wrestling is supposed to - provided a distraction. The emptiness in most of life wasn't replicated in the relatively crowded confines of Daily's Place every Wednesday night.
As names became stars and stars became champions, the company saw fit to keep filling the roster with yet more talent for the Dark (and eventually, Dark: Elevation) rotation, establishing a meritocracy (amongst the men) that sought to transform the claggy and unappealing developmental process WWE championed during their decade-long monopoly.
It's time to get away from considering these new television talents as "ex-WWE", as if they were ever owned by any company in the first place. From SmackDown cameos to brief NXT careers, they're now making it one part of Florida after another thought them surplus. Cheer the fruitful present, and offer a wry smile to the past...
10. Aaron Solow
As a member of QT Marshall's Factory, Aaron Solow hasn't yet done much to get himself over beyond invoking former fiancée Bayley in a promo, but the fresh young group gives him a great chance of transforming that narrative.
For whatever reason, things just didn't take off for Solow in NXT right as 'The Hugger' was getting over as the hottest babyface in wrestling.
He worked select squashes on the black and gold brand in July 2015 against the likes of Tyler Breeze, Enzo & Cass and The Hype Bros, but didn't look at the Full Sail lights much after that.
It'll take him a while to steal focus from the amazing stature of Nick Comoroto or the power of Anthony Ogogo's devastating punch, but in terms of both the characters he associates with and the organisation, he's in the right company. Especially following Cody Rhodes' dramatic return to television and the conflict at large.